Pastor may I add that I won my state archery championship with a bow made from Osage Orange. The most sought after wood for bow making. Strong and flexible and beautiful. God Bless.
As a line clearance arborist these trees are the bane of my existence, by far the strongest tree around and those thorns are like needles stabbing straight through my leather arborist work gloves and my pants, embedding deep into the skin, and breaking off, often leading to sores that last week's! My thighs look like I have a disease my arms look like I'm suicidal. But I always remember, God is good!
I have often encountered the same pain when attempting to remove an Osage Orange thorn. Only recently have I come to respect the tree at all. Yes, God is good! Horace
Not a Christian, but a plant-enthusiast. This man is adorable! Did a great job talking about the fruit. Considering watching all the Nature Lesson videos now
Good for you! So many folks will just pass by or even heckle someone with differing views on faith. It’s truly amazing what we can learn and even enjoy with an open mind!
Thanks for your comment. We come from many different faiths, beliefs, views. Love, Kindness, Generosity, Charity, Support carry us all a long way! Best, Horace
@peoplearepeople4998 "not a Christian"? ..........then how do you think you and this pastor are alive today? and how did any tree or fruit come into being?
Wow, including a nature lesson with a sermon is a fantastic thing. I enjoyed this short lesson. These trees are not plentiful in where I live in SW Ontario, but interestingly I have often spotted them around cemetaries. We collect the fruits in fall to use as Christmas dressing in our window boxes along with red dogwood, hemlock, white pine boughs etc, I have wtched the squirrels get int the fruits in late winter and always thought they were craving viatimin C....but now I know why...Thanks!
Great!! Yes, we in VA use them for decorations, too. They are not as plentiful as they once were. They are sometimes called monkey brains, much to children's delight. I enjoy hearing from you. Thanks for watching and commenting. Horace
Jay, thanks for your reply. This video has received so many views and comments! I am glad more and more folks are learning the value of this "trash tree"! Best, Horace
Loved your nature lesson. My son is 40 now, but when he was a boy, there were so many of the Osage oranges in Memphis where we lived, that the neighborhood boys would play baseball with them.
Great!!!! I am sure he has lots of happy memories. The Osage Orange may be diminishing, because many now find it invasive. Thanks for your comment and for watching.
@dinao4018 I put mine through a food processor to make it more like apple sauce. I really don't recommend trying it. Then again people can gag down apple cider vinegar. So to each their own.
There are some massive Osage oranges trees at my local park. I absolutely love collecting them they smell great. Sorry about them throwing those at you... must've hurt.
Psycho Ninja, I sent your apology to Myra. Sometimes young boys do things in fun and do not realize how they hurt another. No more throwing Osage Oranges! Best, Horace
I live in Maryland and use Osage to make bows. I have a friend who owns a farm where it is growing wild and gave me permission to take as much Osage as I want. But if you cut down the trees, be careful. The sap will cause a rash on your skin and the thorns will pierce right through a leather work glove.
Hi Justa, I am surprised at the interest people have for the Osage Orange. But yes, the tree is intimidating! I am curious: do you make bows commercially? Best regards, Horace
Thank you Pastor for this lesson! I live in the corner of Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri-Arkansas, Independence Kansas and I recently took up woodworking a my snior-citizen hobby (i am blessed to be 80+ and full of energy and ideas!) I tried last year to start on good old "Hedge Apple" wood and tried to work on fresh cut hedge...WOW!, not a good move, but now my collection has cured and aged outdoors for about 18 months and I am gonna try to make Christmas presents for friends and family out of this beautiful FREE wood. I was totally amazed to learn that "city folks" were paying a premium for what we consider firewood, "nuisance in the pastures and yards", abundant on the country roads (of which we have many) and basically worthless. I live in town, but my father-in-law has a small farm just north of me and he said I could help myself if I would handle the chainsaw. Lesson learned...hedge is tough stuff! All said I hope I can send you pictures of my finished Osage Orange attempts. Thank you again!
One theory: Botanists suggest that Osage oranges were likely favorite fruits of mammoths and mastodons along with ground sloths and American horses. These animals went extinct around the same time as the Eremotherium, likely as a result of intensive hunting by the first humans to settle in the Americas. Bois d’arc thorns would have kept these large mammals from stripping the leaves off the tree, but the fallen fruits would have provided a ready meal for hungry mammoths, who then spread the seeds far and wide.
I was just about to post the same information. I read it in an article from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario almost two decades ago. I applaud the nature lesson, food for the mind!
Hi Horace, I live in Covington, KY, right across from Cincinnati. A park by my house has 100's of these, lying on the ground. I see them on the Ohio side too. It's a shame that they're not edible. They might be diminishing, but they'll be around for a long time. There are just too many of them. Your talk was very informative.
Lovely video, Pastor Douty! I live in southern PA and we have quite a few here, fortunately. I grew up in Southern Delaware where we knew them as crab apples or horse apples. The Osage Orange is quite a valuable tree!
We cut down and cleared out 2 of these trees from a guys property. Looking at the rings the trees were 150 yrs old. Wood was very very heavy. Eats up chainsaw blades. Orange inside. Lots of thorns. Wylie Texas
Hi Casey, Yes, the wood is extremely heavy and colorful, and economically valuable. From ancient times, bows for hunting were constructed from the Osage Orange, which is still true today. The fruit has been attributed with various powers, but nothing I consider definitive has emerged. I appreciate your comment about your experience. Regard, Horace
Thanks for your response. The Osage Orange has evoked more comment than any nature lesson I have produced. I hope you Will try listening to one of my sermons. Please comment. I am not the conventional Christian preacher. :)
Glad to hear something enjoys eating them. I will tell my horse lover friends. I am hearing lots of names for these Osage Oranges across the country. Many children grew up playing with them. My wife likes them for decorations. Best wishes, Horace
Yes, I am aware of the value of Osage Orange as bow making material. I thought I mentioned in my video that a bow of this material could be traded for a horse and saddle. Thanks for your response. Hope you will continue to watch my Nature Lessons. Best, Horace
Hola, soy...leñador...vivo..en La Pampa..en..República...Argentina....me.encanta la madera..hice un cavo.de Hacha..fabuloso...se...corta en nuestro.invierno..y..se entierra en 3 meses se saca y se trabaja la madera..😊
You are not alone. Many people misidentify Osage Oranges and Black Walnuts. Definitely not the same. Thanks so much for watching. Good luck as you go forward. Horace
The internet lists Australian Buloke, an ironwood found in Australia, as the toughest wood in the world. I would love to see this one. Thank you for your comment and for watching. Blessings, Horace
One interesting thing is that this tree only really grew in a certain basin in texas, but humans have spread it all across america. It just didn’t get spread by much else before we spread it. Very useful tree. Usually animals will spread trees by eating the seed etc, but when squirrells or deer eat it they destroy the seed so it won’t spread by them.
Micah, True, the seeds are not spread by squirrels or deer, etc. eating them. However, I am curious to know if the seeds are spread by floating downstream, lodging and germinating?? Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 there is a man who makes primative bows, from locust, hickory, but Osage is best. Their called self bows meaning they are only made from only one material, not a composite. His name is Clay Hayes. Hope this helps.
Thank goodness we still have wood shop classes. Good practical knowledge. Those pens you made will become keepsakes. I send you encouragement to keep up the good work! Best, Horace
I planted hedge apple to make a wind break for my garden, as there would seem to always be a summer storm from the southwest that would blow my sweet corn down. It works well.
Dave, a clever idea! Glad the hedge is working well as a wind break. It's heartbreaking to see delicious sweet corn go down in a wind storm. I know from experience. Best, Horace
$6 a piece?! They grew at the bus stop in Ohio growing up, we called them "Monkey Balls", we were told they were good at keeping spiders away if you bring them in the house. We coulda been rich! Haha, awesome video Pastor, thank you!
Thanks Michael for your comment. I have to wonder: how many Hedge Apples have actually sold? I doubt country people buy many. However, there are fewer and fewer, "country people". Best Wishes, Horace
My property (Northern Missouri) has many of the Osage Orange trees in the woodlands. Everything said here I have observed on my property. We have gathered some of the hedge apples so that we might cultivate the trees to produce natural boundaries between crop, garden, and forest. The wood is bright yellow, very heavy and dense, and burns ferociously when correctly seasoned. It also withstands rotting even when in ground contact similar to Honey Locust. A wonderful wood for many uses.
Thank you Paul for your comments. Yes. Osage Orange has unique properties. In my area of Virginia, they seem to be less common than a generation ago, but I have no data to support that notion. I can think of no better plant as a boundary. It is dense, prickly and uncommonly durable. Did you know that the U.S. Government planted thousands of Osage Orange in windy areas of our country? People are obviously intrigued by the tree. My Nature Lesson on the Osage Orange has elicited more comment than any other. Best Wishes, Horace
The Osage Orange tree has a fascinating history. The wood has been used for many things, including bow making. Thanks your comment and your support. Best wishes, Horace
Hola, Sr.Pastor..,soy de La Pampa..el nombre..común...aqui..es Maclura...su.nombre cientifico..lo debe conocer Maclura Pomerata..por su olor citrico..me farique un cabo de Hacha..es sensacional...voy.a enseñar a los mas jóvenes..,para que siga existiendo.por aca, y Dios quiera que jamás..se extinga..soy de La Pampa,Republica Argentina..😊😊😊
I love receiving a comment from Argentina! I regret I can only interpret a few words. But I can tell it is a positive message. Thank you!! Best wishes, Horace
Unbelievable!! Where do you live? Excellent comment! The Osage Orange Tree is in the creek bottom below the church, on church property. Visit again! Best wishes, Horace
Thank you. So many comments mention the name "Hedge Apples". Easy to see why: They grow on these dense Osage Orange hedges! A fascinating tree with many uses. Best wishes, Horace
In Texas they call this tree "bodark" which is a corruption of its true French tree name "bois d'arc" (wood for archer or something close) which was used for archery bows and because of its toughness - children's hammers and saws. It made a very nice rudimentary handsaw which would actually cut soft woods. Great for woodturnng too. We have many of them in north Alabama where I live.
Wonderful information! Thank you for sharing. I receive many comments on the Osage Orange Tree - proving how prevalent it is across the United States and how many folks have been exposed to it and its many uses. I hope this tree is not destroyed out of existence. Blessings, Horace
Why was this video recommended to me? lol Nice video though. I knew most of these, but I did not about people using them as a barrier to deter animals. Very cool.
Beginning late June. The fruit continues to fall throughout Autumn months and into the winter. Yes, you can buy online. Cheaper to harvest your own. :) The wood used by the Indians to make valuable bows. More information can be found in earlier comments. Thanks for watching! Best, Horace
We know their most expensive bows were made from this wood. Not sure about the arrows. A good Osage bow could be traded for a fine horse and saddle. Thanks for watching and your comment. Horace
Matthew, this is interesting. You are one of three responses on monkey balls.... two from Ohio and one from Pittsburg. Thanks for sharing. Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 for protection. they are generally a modified leaf. in this case large herbivorous mammals roamed North America before the ice age. they developed the thorns to prevent from being pushed over and eaten.
Late to the party, I know, BUT.... As we know, every plant has a seed dispersal method through s symbiotic relationship with an animal, for example, Mulberry trees use birds to eat the berries and disperse the seeds in their waste. The Osage Orange, however, developed a symbiotic relationship with animals long gone from our lands: the Mastodons and Wooly Mammoths! They treasured the fruits, being "mast" eaters (the fibrous stuff inside the fruits), and dispersed mounds of seed filled poo wherever they went. The trees were found all over the continent where glaciers were not covering the ground. Once the great Pachyderms died out, the trees no longer had a reliable dispersal method besides the occasional fruits floating down rivers and streams, which is why, besides the farmers planting "hedge rows", the main place you find the now elephant free trees growing is in creek and river bottoms. 😉
Yes, another person commented he was making bows. The Indians were known for using the wood in this way. Thanks for your comment and watching. I post a new Nature Lesson each Tuesday. Best, Horace
Yep. Pronounced bowdarc or bowdok here in Louisiana. I've made 2 with it and it's not an easy wood to work. It's really tough and the grains are never straight
Randy, I am amazed at how many responses to the Osage Orange Tree! It has such an interesting history and so many valuable uses, despite the thorns and sometimes problems. Best, Horace
Great Idea! Be sure to plant where you know you want a strong fence to last forever! The best material ever! Thanks for your comment and for watching. Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 The idea of a fence was not mine I just happened to be stationed on Redstone arsenal in Huntsville Alabama back in the early 90s and was privileged to see parts of the arsenal that are off limits to many active service members and most civilians,I was in an area where old homesteads have been preserved and I made note of the many Osage trees growing there and the uses the pioneer homesteaders used.I personally am in the beginning of building such a fence on my farm so that my grandchildren will have it around for their use,I like your videos very much.👍🙏✡️🇺🇲
Pastor may I add that I won my state archery championship with a bow made from Osage Orange. The most sought after wood for bow making. Strong and flexible and beautiful. God Bless.
Congratulations! A well crafted Osage Orange bow has held high value for 200 years or more. Thanks for sharing your experience. Blessings, Horace
French explorers called it Bois D'arc "Bow-dark" in Kentuckian = Wood for bows.
As a line clearance arborist these trees are the bane of my existence, by far the strongest tree around and those thorns are like needles stabbing straight through my leather arborist work gloves and my pants, embedding deep into the skin, and breaking off, often leading to sores that last week's! My thighs look like I have a disease my arms look like I'm suicidal. But I always remember, God is good!
I have often encountered the same pain when attempting to remove an Osage Orange thorn. Only recently have I come to respect the tree at all. Yes, God is good! Horace
Not a Christian, but a plant-enthusiast. This man is adorable! Did a great job talking about the fruit. Considering watching all the Nature Lesson videos now
Good for you! So many folks will just pass by or even heckle someone with differing views on faith. It’s truly amazing what we can learn and even enjoy with an open mind!
Glad you enjoyed the Nature Video. Hope you will continue to watch and comment! Best, Horace
Thanks for your comment. We come from many different faiths, beliefs, views. Love, Kindness, Generosity, Charity, Support carry us all a long way! Best, Horace
Osage orange is the only fruit God has blessed with a tough life so it grows tuff
@peoplearepeople4998
"not a Christian"? ..........then how do you think you and this pastor are alive today? and how did any tree or fruit come into being?
Wow, including a nature lesson with a sermon is a fantastic thing. I enjoyed this short lesson. These trees are not plentiful in where I live in SW Ontario, but interestingly I have often spotted them around cemetaries. We collect the fruits in fall to use as Christmas dressing in our window boxes along with red dogwood, hemlock, white pine boughs etc, I have wtched the squirrels get int the fruits in late winter and always thought they were craving viatimin C....but now I know why...Thanks!
Great!! Yes, we in VA use them for decorations, too. They are not as plentiful as they once were. They are sometimes called monkey brains, much to children's delight. I enjoy hearing from you. Thanks for watching and commenting. Horace
Missouri is full of hedge apples and the trunks are used for fence end posts in field fence because they are so strong and rot resistant
Jay, thanks for your reply. This video has received so many views and comments! I am glad more and more folks are learning the value of this "trash tree"! Best, Horace
Loved your nature lesson. My son is 40 now, but when he was a boy, there were so many of the Osage oranges in Memphis where we lived, that the neighborhood boys would play baseball with them.
Great!!!! I am sure he has lots of happy memories. The Osage Orange may be diminishing, because many now find it invasive. Thanks for your comment and for watching.
Osage orange wood is highly sought after by bow makers
You are absolutely correct! Thanks for commenting! I hope you will subscribe.
Didn’t ask
Jk
Texas: Bois D arc
The best fire wood too
Very interesting lesson pastor. I enjoyed it very much.
the tablespoon I ate sure cleaned out my colon. Supposedly has anti cancer properties too. Doesn't taste good, but smells good.
Osage Orange is slowly disappearing. It is considered a "weed" tree by many. Thanks for watching.
May I ask how you consumed it? Just biting into it?
@dinao4018 I put mine through a food processor to make it more like apple sauce. I really don't recommend trying it. Then again people can gag down apple cider vinegar. So to each their own.
i am from Northeast Ohio. see these all the time. when i was a kid, boys used to throw these at us. 🤣🤣
There are some massive Osage oranges trees at my local park. I absolutely love collecting them they smell great. Sorry about them throwing those at you... must've hurt.
Myra, I think boys thought they were being "cute"! See apology comment below. Best, Horace
Psycho Ninja, I sent your apology to Myra. Sometimes young boys do things in fun and do not realize how they hurt another. No more throwing Osage Oranges! Best, Horace
I live in Maryland and use Osage to make bows. I have a friend who owns a farm where it is growing wild and gave me permission to take as much Osage as I want.
But if you cut down the trees, be careful. The sap will cause a rash on your skin and the thorns will pierce right through a leather work glove.
Hi Justa,
I am surprised at the interest people have for the Osage Orange. But yes, the tree is intimidating! I am curious: do you make bows commercially?
Best regards,
Horace
@@horacedouty8126 : I've not yet begun to sell my bows, but I plan to in the future. I have about 100-150 Osage staves seasoning, currently.
If you ever do let us know, I'd like to buy one. If you want you can post here. All the best!
Thank you, Horace! As a child, my brother and I would use these “Brain Balls” as bowling balls to strike down sticks that we had pushed into the dirt.
Cincy, Sounds like a Happy childhood!!
Thanks for watching and your comment. Horace
I can see why this is a popular segment at your church. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thanks Dennis. So good to hear from you again. Blessings, Horace
Very informative and interesting! Thanks Sir!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching and sending a reply. Best, Horace
Thank you Pastor for this lesson! I live in the corner of Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri-Arkansas, Independence Kansas and I recently took up woodworking a my snior-citizen hobby (i am blessed to be 80+ and full of energy and ideas!) I tried last year to start on good old "Hedge Apple" wood and tried to work on fresh cut hedge...WOW!, not a good move, but now my collection has cured and aged outdoors for about 18 months and I am gonna try to make Christmas presents for friends and family out of this beautiful FREE wood. I was totally amazed to learn that "city folks" were paying a premium for what we consider firewood, "nuisance in the pastures and yards", abundant on the country roads (of which we have many) and basically worthless. I live in town, but my father-in-law has a small farm just north of me and he said I could help myself if I would handle the chainsaw. Lesson learned...hedge is tough stuff! All said I hope I can send you pictures of my finished Osage Orange attempts. Thank you again!
This is great! Please send pictures! Best of luck, Horace
One theory: Botanists suggest that Osage oranges were likely favorite fruits of mammoths and mastodons along with ground sloths and American horses. These animals went extinct around the same time as the Eremotherium, likely as a result of intensive hunting by the first humans to settle in the Americas. Bois d’arc thorns would have kept these large mammals from stripping the leaves off the tree, but the fallen fruits would have provided a ready meal for hungry mammoths, who then spread the seeds far and wide.
Plausible theory. Thanks for sharing! Best, Horace
I was just about to post the same information. I read it in an article from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario almost two decades ago. I applaud the nature lesson, food for the mind!
Hi Horace, I live in Covington, KY, right across from Cincinnati. A park by my house has 100's of these, lying on the ground. I see them on the Ohio side too. It's a shame that they're not edible. They might be diminishing, but they'll be around for a long time. There are just too many of them. Your talk was very informative.
Wow! That must be quite a sight of so many! One has to wonder how something so productive is not edible!
Thanks, Horace
Lovely video, Pastor Douty! I live in southern PA and we have quite a few here, fortunately. I grew up in Southern Delaware where we knew them as crab apples or horse apples. The Osage Orange is quite a valuable tree!
I agree, it is a very valuable tree. The wood made superior bows among other commodities. Thanks for your comment.
Excellent information. It would’ve been interesting to see that 50’ tree. I have several here but not near that big. Thanks for sharing
I never dreamed the Osage Orange tree would receive so much interest! Thanks for your comment. Horace
Thank you for sharing. Have a blessed day.
Calvin, as you can see from the number of comments, there is quite a bit of interest in the Osage Orange Tree. So glad you enjoyed the video! Horace
We cut down and cleared out 2 of these trees from a guys property. Looking at the rings the trees were 150 yrs old. Wood was very very heavy. Eats up chainsaw blades. Orange inside. Lots of thorns. Wylie Texas
Hi Casey, Yes, the wood is extremely heavy and colorful, and economically valuable. From ancient times, bows for hunting were constructed from the Osage Orange, which is still true today. The fruit has been attributed with various powers, but nothing I consider definitive has emerged.
I appreciate your comment about your experience.
Regard, Horace
Very informative and interesting for sure, thanks for sharing and god bless you
Glad you enjoyed it. Best, Horace
lovely video horace!!
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching! Best, Horace
Gorgeous churchyard. Lots of old Presby churches from there south to Orange County NC.
Thanks for your response. Glad you enjoyed the scenery! Horace
Not a Christian but a plant enthusiast as well. Thank you for this video - I'd sit and listen to a sermon of yours :)
Thanks for your response. The Osage Orange has evoked more comment than any nature lesson I have produced.
I hope you Will try listening to one of my sermons. Please comment. I am not the conventional Christian preacher. :)
That was very interesting. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and your comment. Happy Thanksgiving. Horace
Knew about Osage tree's but never heard kin to mulberry, there fruit is sticky beautiful wood
John. thanks for watching and your comment. I think a lot of folks are learning about the strength of the Osage Orange wood! Best, Horace
In Mississippi our horses love them and U R right about the wood . We always called the fruit hedge apples 👍🤠
Glad to hear something enjoys eating them. I will tell my horse lover friends. I am hearing lots of names for these Osage Oranges across the country. Many children grew up playing with them. My wife likes them for decorations. Best wishes, Horace
You forgot to mention that it's the best bow wood in the world, followed by yew.
Yes, I am aware of the value of Osage Orange as bow making material. I thought I mentioned in my video that a bow of this material could be traded for a horse and saddle. Thanks for your response. Hope you will continue to watch my Nature Lessons.
Best, Horace
Nice video. Our Creator is so generous 😍 particularly with trees.
Thanks for your comment. I recommend a great book entitled, "Seeing Trees". Enjoy! Best, Horace
That was a good lesson. Thanks! I spotted one while hunting yesterday and thought, "What in the world is this tree?". lol
Glad you got to see one! And now you know what this tree is called! Best, Horace
Hola, soy...leñador...vivo..en La Pampa..en..República...Argentina....me.encanta la madera..hice un cavo.de Hacha..fabuloso...se...corta en nuestro.invierno..y..se entierra en 3 meses se saca y se trabaja la madera..😊
I live in Lexington KY and saw one of these on the ground. Im originally from NY and was like, what the heck is that? Your explanation ws great!
You are not alone. Many people misidentify Osage Oranges and Black Walnuts. Definitely not the same. Thanks so much for watching. Good luck as you go forward. Horace
Ironwood is about the only wood I’m aware of that’s as hard and dense. Great lesson Pastor, God bless you and yours.
The internet lists Australian Buloke, an ironwood found in Australia, as the toughest wood in the world. I would love to see this one. Thank you for your comment and for watching. Blessings, Horace
One interesting thing is that this tree only really grew in a certain basin in texas, but humans have spread it all across america. It just didn’t get spread by much else before we spread it. Very useful tree. Usually animals will spread trees by eating the seed etc, but when squirrells or deer eat it they destroy the seed so it won’t spread by them.
Micah, True, the seeds are not spread by squirrels or deer, etc. eating them. However, I am curious to know if the seeds are spread by floating downstream, lodging and germinating??
Best, Horace
It's grown for years & years along both sides of the Red River.... Oklahoma n Texas 🙂
😃 thank you!
Thank you for your response and for watching.
Also highly prized as a wood to make traditional bows.
Hi David, I would love to see some of the bows made from the Osage Orange!! Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 there is a man who makes primative bows, from locust, hickory, but Osage is best. Their called self bows meaning they are only made from only one material, not a composite. His name is Clay Hayes. Hope this helps.
I love Osage orange! Just a kid in wood shop class, but it makes some amazing pens.
Thank goodness we still have wood shop classes. Good practical knowledge. Those pens you made will become keepsakes. I send you encouragement to keep up the good work! Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 Thank you, Horace! I agree that wood shop is beneficial, also a great creative outlet.
Good video ....many thanks.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching and for your comment. Best wishes, Horace
Thank you
I appreciate your support. Thank you. I hope you will keep watching. Horace
You have added to my knowledge of this tree. I always thought it was poisonous. Thanks for the nature lesson.
Osage Orange is a fascinating tree. I appreciate your comment and watching my videos. Take good care. Horace
I planted hedge apple to make a wind break for my garden, as there would seem to always be a summer storm from the southwest that would blow my sweet corn down. It works well.
Dave, a clever idea! Glad the hedge is working well as a wind break. It's heartbreaking to see delicious sweet corn go down in a wind storm. I know from experience. Best, Horace
$6 a piece?! They grew at the bus stop in Ohio growing up, we called them "Monkey Balls", we were told they were good at keeping spiders away if you bring them in the house. We coulda been rich! Haha, awesome video Pastor, thank you!
Thanks Michael for your comment. I have to wonder: how many Hedge Apples have actually sold?
I doubt country people buy many. However, there are fewer and fewer, "country people".
Best Wishes,
Horace
My property (Northern Missouri) has many of the Osage Orange trees in the woodlands. Everything said here I have observed on my property. We have gathered some of the hedge apples so that we might cultivate the trees to produce natural boundaries between crop, garden, and forest. The wood is bright yellow, very heavy and dense, and burns ferociously when correctly seasoned. It also withstands rotting even when in ground contact similar to Honey Locust. A wonderful wood for many uses.
Thank you Paul for your comments. Yes. Osage Orange has unique properties. In my area of Virginia, they seem to be less common than a generation ago, but I have no data to support that notion. I can think of no better plant as a boundary. It is dense, prickly and uncommonly durable. Did you know that the U.S. Government planted thousands of Osage Orange in windy areas of our country?
People are obviously intrigued by the tree. My Nature Lesson on the Osage Orange has elicited more comment than any other.
Best Wishes, Horace
Thanks for the lesson. Great info
Glad you enjoyed it. Osage Orange is now considered another "weed tree". Thanks for watching!
Very good also great for bow making thank you
The Osage Orange tree has a fascinating history. The wood has been used for many things, including bow making. Thanks your comment and your support. Best wishes, Horace
Osage also grows very fast, 3-6ft per year. Beautiful wood grain. We have several in MD eastern shore.
Thanks for your response. I did not know these trees grow on the seacoast. Best wishes for 2024, Horace
Lovely thank you
Appreciate your support. Best wishes, Horace
Thank you Pastor. I remember playing with those as a kid. I didn't know they were edible.
Well, not exactly delicious. :) Thank you for your support and comment. Best, Horace
Thanks for the info. Very interesting. Just bought some seeds to plant this tree. Hoping that it keeps the raccons away.
Good luck. It will take Time for the trees to grow, so start now. Thank you for your comment and watching my videos. Best wishes to you, Horace
Awesome
Yes! Awesome is a good description of this tree! It has so many beneficial uses, especially the wood. Thanks for watching. Best, Horace
Hola, Sr.Pastor..,soy de La Pampa..el nombre..común...aqui..es Maclura...su.nombre cientifico..lo debe conocer Maclura Pomerata..por su olor citrico..me farique un cabo de Hacha..es sensacional...voy.a enseñar a los mas jóvenes..,para que siga existiendo.por aca, y Dios quiera que jamás..se extinga..soy de La Pampa,Republica Argentina..😊😊😊
I love receiving a comment from Argentina! I regret I can only interpret a few words. But I can tell it is a positive message. Thank you!! Best wishes, Horace
"I am standing right in frontof that church right now" with a GRAVEYARD IN THE BACKGROUND.
🤣😂🤣😂 Swap places w the camera!!!
Unbelievable!! Where do you live? Excellent comment! The Osage Orange Tree is in the creek bottom below the church, on church property. Visit again! Best wishes, Horace
Bless you:)
Thanks for watching! Maybe through Nature Lessons more folks will come to appreciate this tree! Best, Horace
We found an Osage Orange Tree at Algonkian Park. HI PAPA D!!!!
Skylar - So Great to hear from you! I am glad you found an Osage Orange Tree! Good for you! Thank you for sending me your comment. Love, PapaD
In Kentucky we call them hedge apple.
Thank you. So many comments mention the name "Hedge Apples". Easy to see why: They grow on these dense Osage Orange hedges! A fascinating tree with many uses. Best wishes, Horace
In Texas they call this tree "bodark" which is a corruption of its true French tree name "bois d'arc" (wood for archer or something close) which was used for archery bows and because of its toughness - children's hammers and saws. It made a very nice rudimentary handsaw which would actually cut soft woods. Great for woodturnng too. We have many of them in north Alabama where I live.
Wonderful information! Thank you for sharing. I receive many comments on the Osage Orange Tree - proving how prevalent it is across the United States and how many folks have been exposed to it and its many uses. I hope this tree is not destroyed out of existence. Blessings, Horace
Why was this video recommended to me? lol
Nice video though. I knew most of these, but I did not about people using them as a barrier to deter animals. Very cool.
I am glad you came across my video and learned something new. That's my goal! Horace
As a kid we was told that it was poisonous. But I know it was edible, but not what part. Thank you for the info.
Darrell, I appreciate your comment and watching my videos. I enjoy sharing information! Best, Horace
But seriously thank you for the excellent video, we need to plant the osage bo dark!
So glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for your comment. Best, Horace
When is this time of year?? U can buy anything on-line!!
Beginning late June. The fruit continues to fall throughout Autumn months and into the winter. Yes, you can buy online. Cheaper to harvest your own. :) The wood used by the Indians to make valuable bows. More information can be found in earlier comments. Thanks for watching! Best, Horace
I heard somewhere that the Indians used the wood to male their arrows from.
We know their most expensive bows were made from this wood. Not sure about the arrows. A good Osage bow could be traded for a fine horse and saddle. Thanks for watching and your comment. Horace
For some reason here in Ohio we called them monkey balls lol.
I'm in Pittsburgh and grew up calling them monkey balls...
I’m from northeast Ohio and yes we called them monkey balls!
Interesting.... with a sense of humor! I have received three comments with the same name. :) Best, Horace
Matthew, this is interesting. You are one of three responses on monkey balls.... two from Ohio and one from Pittsburg. Thanks for sharing. Best, Horace
Bill, Monkey Balls goes to the top of the list! Best, Horace
A lot of work to get the seeds. Which are supposedly the only edible part.
I am not sure about the seeds either. Thanks for watching and your comment. Horace
Why is the tree thorny to protect a fruit that most animals won't eat?
Good question! Why does Any plant have thorns? I will have to investigate! Horace
@@horacedouty8126 for protection. they are generally a modified leaf. in this case large herbivorous mammals roamed North America before the ice age. they developed the thorns to prevent from being pushed over and eaten.
Late to the party, I know, BUT.... As we know, every plant has a seed dispersal method through s symbiotic relationship with an animal, for example, Mulberry trees use birds to eat the berries and disperse the seeds in their waste. The Osage Orange, however, developed a symbiotic relationship with animals long gone from our lands: the Mastodons and Wooly Mammoths! They treasured the fruits, being "mast" eaters (the fibrous stuff inside the fruits), and dispersed mounds of seed filled poo wherever they went. The trees were found all over the continent where glaciers were not covering the ground. Once the great Pachyderms died out, the trees no longer had a reliable dispersal method besides the occasional fruits floating down rivers and streams, which is why, besides the farmers planting "hedge rows", the main place you find the now elephant free trees growing is in creek and river bottoms. 😉
Thanks, David. Good information. I appreciate your response, and my viewers will, too. Best wishes, Horace
It’s odd that you. didn’t mention its name used here.East Texas. Bois d arc ,that is,French for “wood for bows”
Yes, another person commented he was making bows. The Indians were known for using the wood in this way. Thanks for your comment and watching. I post a new Nature Lesson each Tuesday.
Best,
Horace
Yep. Pronounced bowdarc or bowdok here in Louisiana. I've made 2 with it and it's not an easy wood to work. It's really tough and the grains are never straight
😲 I was gonna cut the one in yard. The fruit almost fell on my head, so much revenge was eminent. But I'm glad I haven't acted on my emotions.
Smile:!! How often we all need to stop, think, before reacting to our emotions! Best, Horace
Up in Indiana we called damn Martian turds
Thanks for the information. :) This tree gets mixed reviews worldwide. Best wishes, Horace
I was told that the fruit will repell spyders in your basement and garage!
Hi Roger, I have heard the same. I have not experimented to test this idea. Let me know if you find it works for you.
Thanks and best wishes, Horace
The Fiat Spyder?
Neat 🙂
Randy, I am amazed at how many responses to the Osage Orange Tree! It has such an interesting history and so many valuable uses, despite the thorns and sometimes problems. Best, Horace
I grew up in deep South Texas and Louisiana. We always called them Bodarc balls. I'm sure that is a bastardization of Bois d Arc
I think you are correct in your interpretation. The Osage Orange is a remarkably valuable tree! Blessings, Horace
Dig a trench drop in the fruit every three feet and in about a decade you will have a fence that will outlast you with no maintenance required ever.👍
Great Idea! Be sure to plant where you know you want a strong fence to last forever! The best material ever!
Thanks for your comment and for watching. Best, Horace
@@horacedouty8126 The idea of a fence was not mine I just happened to be stationed on Redstone arsenal in Huntsville Alabama back in the early 90s and was privileged to see parts of the arsenal that are off limits to many active service members and most civilians,I was in an area where old homesteads have been preserved and I made note of the many Osage trees growing there and the uses the pioneer homesteaders used.I personally am in the beginning of building such a fence on my farm so that my grandchildren will have it around for their use,I like your videos very much.👍🙏✡️🇺🇲
@@horacedouty8126 Also I like your comment,"plant where you want a strong fence to grow forever" this comment is deeply spiritual.👍
The kids would go out and throw the "brains" into the woods so I would not run over them with my mower. Only the female tree had the brain like fruit.
Ah - the wisdom of children! :)
Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes,
Horace
*The proper name is Bodark.*
Thank you for letting me know. I always like to learn something new! Best, Horace
I would highly suggest speaking to your “church” about sin and the gospel of Jesus and leave the nature talks for some other time.
Jesus spoke of nature repeatedly. I am trying to follow his example. God created the world and all nature in it. Best, Horace
There is no question that it is a good idea to learn about that which we were meant to tend.